The Presidency on Wednesday threatened legal action against social media commentator Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), over the circulation of an AI-generated audio clip falsely attributed to President Bola Tinubu.
The audio, which reportedly features a synthetic voice resembling the President, contained claims relating to insecurity in the South-East, World Bank borrowing, and the 2027 general election.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, criticised the clip in a post on his verified X handle, describing it as a deliberate act of misinformation.
According to him, the commentator should face legal consequences for allegedly disseminating the fabricated content.
“This VDM needs to face the weight of the law for being the conveyor and disseminator of a fake audio of President Tinubu. This is a clear case of an egregious abuse of the social media platform,” Onanuga wrote.
The audio, which bears characteristics of AI voice cloning, allegedly portrayed the President making controversial remarks, including claims about insecurity in the South-East, political negotiations ahead of the 2023 elections, and the use of international loans.
In the video shared by VDM, the influencer urged viewers to listen and decide for themselves, adding in a mix of Pidgin English and English that the content should be critically examined.
“After you people watch it, we’ll come decide whether na for shrine them cook una mind,” he said in the video.
After playing the clip, he concluded that President Tinubu had “nothing to offer,” adding that he would not support his re-election in 2027.
However, checks indicated that the specific audio in question was not found in VDM’s video uploads, raising further questions about its origin and authenticity.
The incident highlights growing concerns over the use of artificial intelligence to create deepfake audio and video content targeting public officials and influencing public opinion.
The Coalition for Ethical Technology and Democratic Integrity has called on the Federal Government to criminalise AI-generated blackmail, describing it as a potential cyber-security threat capable of undermining electoral credibility ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Nigeria’s Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention) Act 2015, as amended in 2024, already contains provisions criminalising the creation and distribution of false digital communications intended to cause harm or reputational damage, with penalties including imprisonment.
The Federal Government has also previously warned against fake AI-generated advertisements impersonating President Tinubu, including a scam investment promotion circulated on social media platforms.
Authorities say growing misuse of AI tools for misinformation poses a serious challenge to digital governance and public trust in Nigeria’s information space.
